New York City Councilman Erik Bottcher, who represents Manhattan's District 3, reflects on his challenging adolescence as an LGBTQ individual. Growing up in the Adirondacks, Bottcher faced significant emotional turmoil upon realizing his sexual orientation, leading to multiple suicide attempts. His transformative experience in a mental health facility reshaped his perspective and sparked a desire for public service. Now a mental health advocate, Bottcher fights for better access to mental health care for marginalized communities, emphasizing the importance of preventative care and early treatment for mental health issues.
Mental health care is preventative. Early detection and treatment is everything. They think they're saving money by not investing, but they're really just shifting costs.
I really do credit the experience of being a gay person born in that kind of place, and going through that, with why I ended up in public service.
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